Catholics and Muslims hold seventh gathering in Tehran

By staff writers

November 9, 2010

The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue and the Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation of Tehran are holding their seventh meeting from 9 to 11 November 2010.

The gathering is taking place in the Iranian capital. It is set to examine the theme 'Religion and Society: Christian and Muslim Perspectives' and is being divided into three sub-topics.

The event is being attended by eight members of the pontifical council including Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president, Archbishop Pier Luigi Celata, secretary, and Monsignor Khaled Akasheh, bureau chief for Islam. The local Church is being represented by Archbishop Ramzi Garmou of the Tehran Chaldeans and Fr Francesco Pirisi, vicar general of the archdiocese of Ispahan, of the Latins.

Following the inaugural session the meeting is continuing behind closed doors, although a lecture due to be held at a university in Tehran will present the theme of the meeting, from the Christian perspective, to a public audience of professors and students.

The gathering will be followed by a visit to Qom, a holy city for Shia Muslims and an important centre for religious teaching and research.

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